Mistella Rowe (born Misty Rose Thornton; June 1, 1952) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying the perky, squeaky-voiced blonde on the American television series ''
Hee Haw
''Hee Haw'' is an American television variety show featuring country music and humor with the fictional rural "Kornfield Kounty" as the backdrop. It aired first-run on CBS from 1969 to 1971, in syndication from 1971 to 1993, and on TNN from 1 ...
'' for 19 years, often appearing as
Junior Samples
Junior Samples, born Alvin Samples Jr. (April 10, 1926 – November 13, 1983) was an American comedian best known for his 14-year run as a cast member of the television show ''Hee Haw''.
Early years
A sixth-grade dropout, Samples was a stock car ...
's assistant during used-car comedy segments. Rowe and other "honeys" on the series were notable for performing in cleavage-inducing halter tops, tight shorts, and country-style minidresses. Rowe starred in the 1978 ''Hee Haw'' spin-off ''
Hee Haw Honeys
''Hee Haw'' is an American television variety show featuring country music and humor with the fictional rural "Kornfield Kounty" as the backdrop. It aired first-run on CBS from 1969 to 1971, in syndication from 1971 to 1993, and on TNN from 199 ...
'', cast with then-newcomer
Kathie Lee Gifford
Kathryn Lee Gifford (née Epstein; born August 16, 1953) is an American television presenter, singer, songwriter, actress and author. From 1985 to 2000, she and Regis Philbin hosted the talk show ''Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee''. Gifford is a ...
(then known as Kathie Lee Johnson) as the singing daughters of
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
diner owners portrayed by
Lulu Roman
Lulu Roman (born Bertha Louise Hable on May 6, 1946) is an American comedian, singer, and author. She is known as a regular on the comedy-music show ''Hee Haw'', which debuted in 1969.
Roman was born with a thyroid dysfunction in a home for un ...
and
Kenny Price
Kenny is a surname, a given name, and a diminutive of several different given names.
In Ireland, the surname is an Anglicisation of the Irish language, Irish ''Ó Cionnaith'', also spelt ''Ó Cionnaoith'' and ''Ó Cionaodha'', meaning "descendant ...
. Rowe later appeared in a national road show version of the series entitled ''Hee Haw Honey Reunion''.
Television
On television, Rowe portrayed the carhop Wendy in early episodes of the sitcom ''
Happy Days
''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most su ...
'' and
Maid Marian
Maid Marian is the heroine of the Robin Hood legend in English folklore, often taken to be his lover. She is not mentioned in the early, medieval versions of the legend, but was the subject of at least two plays by 1600. Her history and circums ...
in the
Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks (born Melvin James Kaminsky; June 28, 1926) is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. With a career spanning over seven decades, he is known as a writer and director of a variety of successful broad farces and parodies. He began h ...
-produced ''
When Things Were Rotten
''When Things Were Rotten'' is an American sitcom television series created in 1975 by Mel Brooks. It aired for half a season on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC network. A parody of the Robin Hood legend, the series starred Dick Gautier (w ...
'' (1975). Rowe's 1980s television appearances include several episodes of ''
Fantasy Island
''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. Gu ...
'' and ''
The Love Boat
''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...
'' and portraying a country music singer on ''
Airwolf
''Airwolf'' is an American action military drama television series that centers on a high-technology military helicopter, code-named ''Airwolf'', and its crew. The show follows them as they undertake various exotic missions, many involving e ...
''. In films, Rowe has twice portrayed
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
, in ''
Goodbye, Norma Jean
''Goodbye, Norma Jean'' is a 1976 film by Larry Buchanan based on the life of Marilyn Monroe. Misty Rowe plays the title role.Goodnight, Sweet Marilyn'' (1989). Her other film credits include ''The Hitchhikers'' (1972), ''
Loose Shoes
Loose may refer to:
Places
*Loose, Germany
*Loose, Kent, a parish and village in southeast England
People
* Loose (surname)
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Albums
* ''Loose'' (B'z album), a 1995 album by B'z
* ''Loose'' (Crazy Horse album), ...
'' (1980), ''
The Man with Bogart's Face
''The Man with Bogart's Face'' (also called ''Sam Marlowe, Private Eye'') is a 1980 American comedy film, released by 20th Century Fox and based on a novel of the same name. Andrew J. Fenady, author of the novel, produced the film and wrote the s ...
'' (1980), ''
National Lampoon's Class Reunion
''Class Reunion'' is a 1982 American black comedy film produced by '' National Lampoon'' as the third film from the magazine. It was the second film released; although '' National Lampoon Goes To The Movies'' was filmed in 1981, it was delayed and ...
'' (1982), and ''
Meatballs Part II
''Meatballs Part II'' is a 1984 American comedy film and the in-name only sequel to the 1979 film ''Meatballs''. The film stars Richard Mulligan, Hamilton Camp, John Mengatti, Kim Richards, Archie Hahn, Misty Rowe, and John Larroquette, and w ...
Rowe's stage credits include children's theater (''Misty's Magic Moo Town''), appearing as
Patsy Cline
Patsy is a given name often used as a diminutive of the feminine given name Patricia or sometimes the masculine name Patrick, or occasionally other names containing the syllable "Pat" (such as Cleopatra, Patience, Patrice, or Patricia). Among I ...
in the off-Broadway musical ''Always...Patsy Cline'', and the Atlantic City production ''Misty Christmas, Finally a Fruitcake You'll Like!'' In 2010, Rowe appeared in the self-written, off-Broadway musical ''Fandance: The Legend of
Sally Rand
Sally Rand (born Helen Gould Beck; April 3, 1904 – August 31, 1979) was an American burlesque dancer, vedette, and actress, famous for her ostrich feather fan dance and balloon bubble dance. She also performed under the name Billie Beck. ...
.''
In other media
Austin
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
rock band Young Heart Attack wrote a song called "Misty Rowe". In a 2004 interview, songwriter Steven Hall said about the song: "I was obsessed with this actress owewho was on ''Hee Haw'' and ''Happy Days''. She was really sexy and Misty Rowe was the first woman on television who made me feel...different."
Personal life
Rowe was formerly married to actor
James DePaiva
James Paul DePaiva (born October 8, 1957) is an American soap opera actor.
Career
DePaiva is known for portraying Max Holden on the ABC Daytime soap opera ''One Life to Live'' from 1987 to 1990 and from 1991 to 2003. He made a brief return to th ...
, with whom she has a daughter, Dreama, born in 1992.